Happier
by movienerd1174
Summary: "Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, ain't nobody need you like I do. I know that there are others that deserve you, but my darling, I am still in love with you." TUCKSON. Two years after Chasing Theo. Inspired by Happier by Ed Sheeran


**Hello I'm back with a wonderfully angsty Tuckson one shot! This is set a couple years after our favorite couple parted ways in Chasing Theo and for the sake of the story, let's just pretend Nick Amaro never left at the end of season 16.**

 **While we're on the topic of Amaro, there is SOME Benson/Amaro flirtation in this story but I want to specify that this is a TUCKSON story and while they may flirt the relationship between Nick and Liv is and has always been strictly PLATONIC. They're just besties, that's all. The Amaro in this story is not the stubborn, angsty detective. But the friend that said "Ohhhh-livia" when he saw her in that dress in Monster's Legacy.**

 **Anyway, enough talk about Amaro... let's get onto the story!**

 **Oh! And if you haven't already, listen to Ed Sheeran's Happier, huge inspiration for this story!**

* * *

Checking her phone for what seemed like the hundredth time, Olivia sighed as she found no new notifications before shoving the device back in her clutch. "I'm sure Noah's fine, Liv." Nick reassured from his seat next to her.

Looking over at her former partner, she was met with his teasing gaze. "I know", she huffed, knowing she was being an over protective mother. "I'm just worried that his cold will get worse."

He stretched his arm across the back over her chair and rubbed her upper back soothingly."Don't worry, he's in good hands. Look around, Liv" He said enthusiastically, gesturing around the bustling ballroom of the Astoria. "How often to get a night out like this? Granted it's an NYPD event and your date is _t_ _u amigo mejor._ " He stated with a small laugh, placing a hand to his tuxedo covered chest.

A smile spread across her face at the mere fact that Nick was trying to make her feel better. Once her loyal partner, Nick Amaro had become much more than that once she was promoted to Lieutenant. He was a trustworthy friend, an ever-present confidant and a loving uncle to her son. "You're right." She admitted as she laid a soft had on his forearm. "Thank you for letting me drag you along. I know this isn't really your scene."

With a shrug, he looked around the room at all the mingling white shirts as he adjusted his bow tie. "Don't sweat it, I couldn't let you be thrown to the wolves on your own."

She watched his face drop as his eyes landed on the entryway, the hard line of his jaw tensing. Her eyes followed his eye line and she felt her heart drop to her stomach at what she saw. Ed Tucker, dressed in a classic black tuxedo, surveying the large polished room with a tall, blonde woman on his arm.

Sighing, Nick placed a comforting hand on her bare shoulder. "I'm sorry, Liv." He said lowly. She turned and met his sympathetic eyes, trying her best to give a small, halfhearted smile before looking down at her hands in her lap.

Taking a deep breath, she placed her clutch down on the table and looked over at Nick. "I'm gonna go get a drink."

* * *

Waiting for the drink she ordered, Olivia drummed her manicured fingers against the finished wood of the bar as she tried to soothe her growing anxiety. That's when she felt a looming presence next to her, she didn't have to look up to know who it was.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him and she couldn't help the way her breath caught when she looked into those blue eyes. "Ed", she exhaled, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hello Olivia", Ed greeted as he leaned against the bar, his face softening as he took in her appearance. She was dressed in a light blue a-line dress, the garment was simple but it showed off her supple curves. Her rich brown hair was pulled up in a loose twist, showing off her long inviting neck and against his better judgement the sight of it made his mouth water. "Didn't think you'd be here." He said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Her eyebrows rose at his confession as she flicked her head to the side, moving a rogue piece of hair that escaped it's place. "I know I'm not a captain", she joked, tilting her head as she looked at him. "But I'm pretty sure the invitation was open to lieutenants as well."

Ed couldn't help but chuckle at her cheeky remark as he looked down at his feet, her sharp tongue surely hadn't changed. "I didn't mean anything by it." He replied, looking up at her through his eyelashes. "I'm glad I ran into you."

His eyes bored into hers like they always had, as if he could see into the farthest depths of her soul. The corners of his lips turned upwards in the slightest as the deep lines on his forehead dissipated, a sure sign of tension leaving his body. The bartender placed her drink on the dark oak counter and his eyes flickered to the glass as she muttered a "thank you".

With keen eyes, Ed watched as she brought the tumbler to her lips and took a small sip of the amber liquid. "Bourbon, huh?" He observed, a familiar sensation rising inside of him as her tongue peeked out to lick the liquor lingering on her lips.

Shrugging lightly, she looked at how the golden alcohol swirled against the glass. "It's grown on me."

"I'll have the same." He said, motioning to her when he caught the bartender's eye. He turned his attention back to her and exhaled steadily, not able to tear his eyes away from her even if he tried. She attempted to avoid his gaze and looked down at her shifting feet, a sure sign of her uneasiness, but it felt as if her eyes were being drawn to his.

Fighting the inevitable, her soft brown eyes met his piercing blue ones and she could feel her face softening at the sight of his warm smirk. Over the past couple of years, the dark parts of his hair had begun to gray and the lines on his face had deepened but he was still one of the most handsome men she had ever seen.

Ed saw her face drop and her body tense as he felt a dainty hand slip into the crook of his elbow. "Eddie, I found our table." the sweet voice from beside him said as he felt her other hand rest over his chest.

"Great", he offered with a forced smile as she looked away from Olivia and down at his companion. "Lo, this is Lieutenant Olivia Benson. Olivia, this is my... girlfriend, Eloise Parker."

Olivia had had a feeling who the woman was when she saw them enter the gala together but hearing him actually utter the words made her heart drop. Contradicting their actions mere moments before, his eyes were having a hard time meeting her gaze. Eloise was absolutely gorgeous, the gold dress she was wearing clung to her tall, thin, barely forty year old frame. Her blonde hair was swept over one of her shoulders and her white teeth beamed as she looked to Olivia. "Lieutenant Benson from Special Victims?"

Nodding, Olivia tried her best to give her a small smile and before she knew it the blonde was enveloping her in a hug. She couldn't hide her shock as she looked at Ed over the other woman's shoulder. Pulling back, Eloise grasped Olivia's bare upper arms as she pulled away. "I'm an ADA in the Bronx and you're reputation proceeds you. Eddie has told me you're one of the good ones."

"Has he?" She asked as Eloise nodded, returning to her spot at Ed's side. He looked at the brunette sheepishly out of the corner of his eyes, the edge of his lips twitching in the slightest.

Threading her fingers through his, her other hand gripped his bicep as she looked at him. "Yes, he has. Thank you for doing such selfless work."

Waving her hand, she shook her head dismissively. "I wouldn't want to do anything else." She said, giving her a closed lip smile.

Returning the smile, Eloise turned to Ed. "I'm going to have a seat, take your time." She said, reaching up and kissing him on his rugged cheek before turning back to Olivia. "It was so great meeting you, Lieutenant."

"You, too", She replied politely before the other woman retreated. The two watched her head to her table and when she was out of ear shot, Olivia turned to Ed with her eyebrows raised. "Eddie?" She asked, the sickeningly sweet nickname sounding foreign coming from her mouth.

Sighing, he hung his head. "Liv", he rasped, a slight tone of guilt evident in his voice.

Bringing her hand up to her chin in thought, she pointed towards the group of tables. "Either she is the sweetest woman in the world or she doesn't know what we were." She deduced, the last words lingering between them for several seconds.

Looking away, he scratched his eyebrow. "The latter." He answered, clearing his throat.

Pursing her lips, she nodded with raised eyebrows. "She's young and... blonde." She observed as she watched her from across the room. "You're really feeding into a stereotype there, Tucker."

Picking up his bourbon, Ed took a sip as he met her challenging eyes. He knew that she was teasing him but he also knew her enough to know that it was also coming from a place of jealousy. "Are you done?" He asked lowly, placing his glass back on the bar. His blue eyes were somber but not holding the animosity she was expecting. She looked down at her feet, suddenly ashamed of her behavior.

A firm hand pressed against the small of her back and she suddenly felt Nick's warm presence next to her. "Tucker", Nick greeted, offering his hand. Looking from his face to his outstretched hand and back again, Ed leerily accepted his handshake. "You okay, Liv?" He asked lowly, rubbing her back.

"I'm fine", she said, forcing a smile as she laid a gentle hand on the lapel of his jacket. Ed's sharp eyes were keen on her hand resting on Nick's chest before they darted to where his arm disappeared behind her waist. Jealousy prickled at the back of his neck as he watched someone else treat her with such affection.

Nodding, Nick glanced at Ed before looking back to his long time friend. "I'll meet you at the table." She gave him a small smile and she could feel sharp blue eyes on her as she watched him depart.

Downing the rest of his bourbon, he placed the empty glass on the bar. "You and, uh, Amaro?" He asked, swiping his thumb at the corner of his mouth before nodding towards the center of the room.

Her head whipped around at his raspy voice and he looked up at her from under his furrowed brow bone. "No", she practically scoffed. "Nick is just... Nick. He's helped me out a lot these last couple of years, especially with Noah."

His index finger traced along the rim of the empty glass as he nodded, trying his best to hide the dejection in his eyes. Envy rose in his belly at the thought of someone else caring for the boy he had hoped would be his son. "How is the little man?" He asked, a smile spread across his face at the thought of the little boy.

The way his eyes softened when he talked about Noah tugged on her heartstrings. "He's good", she said as she tilted her head, a genuine smile playing on her lips. "About to start kindergarten in the fall."

"Wow", he chuckled, his eyes widening. "I can't believe how fast the time has gone by."

She absentmindedly began to toy with the bracelet that encircled from her thin wrist, a small pendant engraved with her son's name hung from one of the links. "Tell me about it." she countered.

A silence fell over them and his eyes flickered to hers, a certain sadness shining in them despite the small smile that played on his lips. "I miss him." He admitted, his voice barely audible.

The guilt that washed over her at hearing those words was indescribable. "He asks about you every now and then." She revealed, the emotion rising in the back of her throat surprising her. The back of her eyes prickled with forming tears and she tried to keep them at bay as he watched her intently. Blinking rapidly, she moved a piece of hair out of her face as she looked towards the center of the room. "I should, uh, get back." And with that, she was gone.

* * *

Taking the last bite of his dinner, Nick looked at Olivia out of the corner of his eyes as she pushed food around her practically full plate. He placed his silverware down and leaned back in his chair and looked over at her.

"Nick, don't." She said, not even lifting here eyes from her plate. If they learned anything while working together for the past seven years, it was to read each other intuitively. He raised his eyebrows, holding his hands up defensively as he saw her peek at him out of her periphery.

Stretching his arm across the back of her chair, he leaned closer towards her. "You want to know what I think?" He asked lowly, his dark eyes searching the profile of her face.

Placing her fork down, she gently pushed her full plate away and placed her hands in her lap.. "I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway." She answered, her eyes trained on where her fingers were fidgeting against one another.

"I don't think you miss him." He stated frankly and her eyes shot to his, surprise evident in the deep pools of brown. "I know you miss him and I know you missed him long before you saw him here with that woman. I see it in your face every time Noah asks about him." He explained, causing her to exhale a shaky breath as her chin began to quiver.

With her eyebrows pulled together, she pursed her lips in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. "You're right." She confirmed, nodding her head.

"And trust me, it even breaks my heart." He said, bringing his hand to his chest.

Olivia took a deep breath in attempt to gather her emotions, the feeling of Nick's soothing hand rubbing circles along her upper back helping the effort. "You know what's pathetic?" She asked with a weak laugh causing him to raise his eyebrows in question. Her red eyes flickered around the room before returning to Nick's. "Ever since I saw them all I can keep thinking about is that when he goes home tonight, he's going to have those long legs wrapped around his waist and I'll go home and lay in bed, all by myself."

"Not pathetic at all." He reassured softly before a mischevious smirk spread cross his lips. "You know, Liv", he leaned close to whisper in her ear. "I've told you before, I'm always available to scratch that itch if it should arise." He teased causing her to let out a loud laugh.

Pressing her hand against his cheek, she pushed his face away playfully as he chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind", she retorted as she rolled her eyes. "He thought we were together when you came over to the bar." She admitted, gesturing over her shoulder.

Bringing his hand to his stomach, he shook his head as he snickered under his breath. "Like I could ever snag someone like you." She watched as his eyes looked at something passed her before he leaned in close again. "Tucker may be going home with her tonight but he has not taken his eyes off of you all night." He revealed before he pulled away to see her eyes shift in the direction of Ed's table discreetly before he leaned back in. "And I swear, his jaw gets tighter every time I lean closer to you."

Pulling back, he looked down at her pensive expression and nodded in affirmation. He watched her as she thought for a second before sighing and burying her face in her hands. "I'm terrible", she groaned, looking up at him with her hands on either side of her neck. "Here I am, hoping heartache on someone for my own personal gain."

"Hey", Nick soothed, rubbing his hand down her upper arm. "You're human, it's only natural."

The vibe in the ballroom had mellowed, all the speeches were done as well as the dinner and the room was filled with music coming from the band on stage while the majority of attendees mingled. Standing up from his chair, Nick extended his hand to her. "Come with me."

Confusion crossed her features as she looked from his face down to his offered hand and back again. "What? Where?"

"You are kid-free tonight. There's an open bar, there's music and you're with your devilishly handsome best friend." He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her seat. "You'd be crazy not to take advantage of it."

Lifting their joined hands above their heads, he twirled her several times under his arm as they made it to the middle of the dance floor, weaving through the other few dancing couples. He pulled her to him and she let out a booming laugh as he playfully cha cha-ed in front of her.

The sound of her familiar laugh caught Ed's attention from across the room and he looked away from Eloise to the dance floor. He felt a jolt of jealousy shoot through his body as the sight of a smiling Olivia settling into another man's arms as they fell into a comfortable rhythm. "Eddie", he faintly heard his date call as she laid her hand on his knee. He had a hard time tearing his eyes away from the couple but he did, narrowing his eyes as he looked to the woman in front of him. "Are you okay?"

Forcing a smile, he nodded as he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. "Come dance with me." He suggested causing a bright smile to spread across her face. Standing up, he lead her towards the dance floor.

With one of her hands in Nick's, a content smile graced her lips as Olivia brought her other hand to his upper back. They slowly rotated as they swayed to the soft music and as she angled towards the open dance floor her face and heart dropped. She watched as Ed kissed the blonde woman on her temple before pulling her body against his, moving with the smooth melody.

His blue eyes shifted to hers and the air escaped from her lungs. Looking into his eyes had always been one of Olivia's favorite things. Despite the coldness he constantly exuded, when she looked into his eyes she saw every single emotion he was feeling and that had not changed over the past two years.

Feeling exposed under his gaze, her hand tightened against the back of Nick's tux, grasping for a sense of stability as she felt her knees weaken. Nick pulled away and gave her a questioning look as he felt her body falter against his. Blinking back the tears that prickled against the back of her eyes, she tried her best to give him a convincing smile before pressing her cheek against his again.

Craving the support of her best friend, Olivia wrapped both arms securely around Nick's shoulders as they continued to move to the music. She saw Ed's eyes flicker as he watched her wrap herself around another man. Her eyes moved down to where his hand was pressed against the beaded back of Eloise's dress before moving back up to his face.

Eloise pulled back briefly to press a kiss against Ed's rugged cheek before continuing to sway with him but his eyes didn't so much as flicker away from Olivia's. Sniffling, she brought one of her hands from Nick's shoulder up to swipe at the corner of her eye before a tear had a chance to escape.

Sensing a change in her demeanor and hearing her unsteady breaths, Nick turned his head to see what had affected her. Across the dance fooor he saw Ed, his arms wrapped around Eloise but his eyes trained on Olivia.

Sighing heavily through his nose, he turned back and rubbed his hand along her back soothingly while he swiftly turned them around so he was now facing Ed. Nick's fierce brown eyes stared him down as he held his friend close to him, his hand continuing it's calming motions. Ed could feel the jealousy flare in his eyes as he watched them move.

The two couples danced and as they did, they both slowly rotated in a circle. Olivia braced herself as she prepared for Ed to come into view but what she was met with nearly made her legs give out. Ed's back was to her and Eloise was facing her, her cheek pressed against his and her eyes closed peacefully as she swayed with him.

Eloise's green eyes opened and her lips spread open in a warm smile as she saw Olivia who did her best to giving her a closed lipped smile that did not quite reach her wet eyes. The blonde's eyes fell close again as her dainty hand came up to stroke the back of his silver head.

A plump tear slipped down Olivia's cheek as she watched Eloise press her face in Ed's neck. The neck that always smelled like a mixture of soap, sweat and a hint of smoke, the neck that turned a deep shade of red when he exerted himself in the slightest, the neck she craved burying herself in at the end of a long day.

The rush of emotions was suddenly to great a burden to bear. Pulling away, she waved her hand at Nick's questioning look before moving passed him and walking briskly towards the lobby. Left alone on the dance floor, Nick looked over at Ed who was looking back at him with concern radiating from his eyes.

Giving him a hard glare, Nick's jaw tensed before he turned and followed her.

* * *

Slowing his sprint down to a light jog, Nick stopped in front of Olivia who was slumped against the wall of the lavish foyer. Bending over with her hands braced against her knees, she struggled to catch her breath as she choked on the rising sobs.

Crouching back on his haunches, he looked up at her as he placed his hand over hers. "Relax, Liv. Just breathe." He soothed lowly, his thumb running over the back of her knuckles.

With her back against the wall, she slid down slowly until she was sitting on the floor with Nick still perched in front of her. "How can he have that beautiful woman wrapped around him and still look at me like that?" She asked, wiping away the tears that were clinging to the underside of her chin. "Is he trying to torture me?"

"You know I'm the last one that would defend Tucker." He began as her wet eyes met his. "But I bet it's more likely that he would shoot himself in the foot before he does anything malicious towards you."

Letting out a heavy sigh, she nodded in agreement as her shoulders sagged. "You're probably right." Looking to the side, her thoughts were getting the better of her and she pursed her lips against the fresh round of tears. "What have I done?" She squeaked, her eyes meeting his as her tears slipped down her flushed cheeks. "I lost him."

Letting the sobs overtake her body, she buried her face in her hands as she felt Nick's strong hands pulling at her upper arms. As she rose to her feet, he pulled her against him as she buried her face in his neck and sobbed. His arms circled around her tightly and his hand rubbed her back soothingly.

Hearing brisk footsteps against the tiles come to a stop, Olivia pulled away and quickly wiped at her flushed cheeks as she saw Ed standing behind Nick with her clutch in one of his hands. "You forgot this." He informed, motioning to the purse as he looked between the two. He wanted so badly to ask if she was okay, but somehow he felt like that was not his place, especially since the reason why she was upset was most likely him.

Taking a step towards him, she grabbed the clutch without meeting his gaze. "Thanks", she muttered, looking down at her feet.

"Look, Liv..." He began awkwardly, shoving his hands in his pocket.

Shaking her head, she held up a hand to stop him. "You don't owe me anything." She said stoically, her shoulders sagging as her red eyes met his. "Go back to your girlfriend." She sighed defeatedly, trying her best not to convey the malice that was threatening to drip from her tongue.

Turning away from Ed, she briefly placed her hand on Nick's forearm and gave him a small grateful smile before heading out the doorway and down the sidewalk.

* * *

Walking out of her bedroom dressed his her comfy clothes with her hair pulled back into a bun, Olivia poured herself a glass of wine before heading into the living room. Tucking her feet under her, Olivia sat on the couch and brought her wine glass to her lips. She closed her eyes as her head fell against the back of the couch, savoring the dry taste before the smooth liquid slid down her throat. Just as she felt her body begin to relax she heard a harsh knock on the outside of her door.

Peeking through the peephole, her hand paused as it reached for the doorknob when she saw who was on the other side. She leaned her head against the door and took a deep breath before opening the door.

With one hand braced against the door jam, Ed looked up at her and sighed loudly through his nostrils. His jaw was set and his blue eyes were hard as they stared her down, the top button to his tuxedo shirt unbuttoned and his bow tie hanging untied around his neck.. They were both silent for several minutes, his fierce gaze making her feel uneasy.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, his gruff voice cut her off. "You can't do this, Liv", He stated, his tone low but firm.

Pushing back the the stray hair that escaped her bun, she sighed and moved to the side so Ed could enter. He moved into her apartment and they stood in the entryway several feet apart, letting the tense silence surround them. "I'm sorry", she sighed, pulling at the hem of her over sized NYPD shirt. "I guess I just didn't expect to see you there with someone else." She had meant to sound sincere but her voice took on a harsh tone.

"You were the one that ended it, remember?" He implored, his voice bitter and his eyes wide. Not answering his question, she looked down at her stockinged feet as she willed tears not to form in her eyes. Heaving a sigh, he ran a hand over his short cropped hair as he tried to suppress the frustration rising inside of him.

Her forehead tightened as her face hardened with exasperation. "You don't think I know that? That I think about it everyday?" Irritation was already evident in her voice, however neither of them knew whether it was aimed at herself or him.

He took a step towards her and she watched several different emotions flicker in his stormy eyes but she stood her ground. "I don't deserve this." He asserted, his voice rough. "And Eloise, she..." He trailed off as he saw dejection flare in her brown eyes. "She isn't stubborn, she's not a pain in my ass. She knows she wants to be with me." He said, his voice rising as he brought his hand to his chest.

Tears pooled along her lower eyelids as she listened to him. It was not easy thinking about Ed with someone else, let alone hearing about how she differed from her in the best ways. "I know, she's perfect." she said sincerely, as she swiped quickly at the corner her eye before looking away from him.

His eyes softened as he watched her but he still had so much more to say. "I don't stay up at night thinking about if she's okay." He stated and her glossy eyes shot back to his. "I don't feel rage building inside of me at the thought of someone else touching her." He growled lowly, taking another step closer causing her to step backwards against the wall.

Planting his hand on the wall beside her head, he took a deep breath as his eyes searched her face. "She doesn't bring me to my knees with just a smile." He rasped. It felt like her nerves were live wires and she had never been so aware of his presence. His breath puffing against her flushed cheeks, the smell of him invading her nostrils as he brought his hand up to her face. "She is not you." He breathed, his eyes watching as his thumb traced her bottom lip before meeting hers.

Not able to control himself any longer, he stepped forward and pressed his lips against hers causing a whimper to escape her. Her trembling hands found the muscles of his back lower back as she felt his body against the front of her and the cool wall against her back. His lips were soft as they moved slowly against hers, savoring the taste of her after so long. She could feel her legs weakening as his strong hands framed her face, the rough skin of his palms a stark contrast to her smooth cheeks.

Coming to her senses, her hands found his upper chest and she weakly pushed him away. He looked down at her, his eyebrows pulling together in bewilderment as he tried to slow his breathing. "This is wrong, you're taken." She whispered, looking down at her hands that were hovering over his chest.

Leaning forward, he shook his head as he caught her eye line as a small smirk played on his lips. "I'm not", he corrected and when he saw her confusion, he continued. "The way I felt when I saw you tonight, I knew I couldn't feel that for her. And even if I didn't stand a chance of getting you back, I knew that wasn't fair to her... or me."

She couldn't help the smile that came to her lips as the reality of the situation sank in. "I have a confession to make." She admitted sheepishly.

"Tell me", he coaxed, pushing a rogue hair away from her face.

Burying her face in her hands before moving them to the side of her neck, she looked up at him. "I was jealous thinking about how her legs would be wrapped you all night." She revealed, her voice barely audible as a hint of pink tinted her cheeks.

A soft, bashful chuckle left his lips as he looked away and scratched his eyebrow before looking back at her. He grabbed her wrists lightly, he pulled her hands away from her face and placed them around his neck as he leaned in close. "Let me tell you something, Lieutenant", he rasped lowly, his hot breath hitting her rosy cheeks as his hands whispered down her sides. "The only legs that I want wrapped around me are yours."

As the words left his mouth, Olivia felt his strong hands reached the hem of her tiny cotton shorts before they gripped the back of her thighs and hoisted her up against him.

With a tiny squeal, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs followed suit. The tips of his fingers had slipped under the hem of her short and teased against the supple skin of her backside as their lips hovered against each other's, their hot breath milling between them.

One of her hands ran over his short, cropped hair before settling on the back of his neck as he walked them over to couch. He flopped down on the soft cushion so she was on top of him, straddling his lap.

"Christ, I've missed you." He breathed against her neck, his hands running up the smooth skin of her thighs before slipping underneath the hem of her night shirt.

"You have no idea." She moaned, holding him against her as he ran his tongue along the length of her neck. She suddenly felt him still against her before pulling back to gaze at her, a solemn look on his face. "What?"

He was silent for a couple of beats with his eyebrows knitted together. He looked at her when he felt her fingertips against his cheek. "Promise me you won't leave me again." He practically pleaded, the vulnerability in his voice making her heart ache.

Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes. "I know I could be happy, just me and Noah." She began, the back of her knuckles running along his cheeks to try to alleviate any anxiety he was feeling. "But when I'm with you, I'm happier. Noah's happier. You're the last piece to our puzzle, Tucker."

A bright smile lit his face, a smile she had missed and she knew they both would be happier. Together.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading! I hope you liked it! I feel that sometimes I struggle with angry angst so I hope this seemed authentic!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!**


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